Self-cleaning lint trap and gravity assisted lint trap

Abstract

A self-cleaning lint trap includes an enclosed housing having an inlet port, an exhaust port, and a spiral chamber between the ports for imparting a circular air flow to air moving through the spiral chamber. A fine mesh screen extends across the exhaust port, and along the cylindrical side wall of the spiral chamber, for collecting lint from air passing through the chamber. A freely movable lightweight object is enclosed within the spiral chamber, and is moved about the chamber by the circular air flow to break off lint from the screens. A slot in the side wall of the chamber is fluidly connected to a lint collector, such that the compacted lint ball will be carried from the chamber through the slot and to the lint collector for later disposal.

I claim: 
     
       1. A self-cleaning lint filtration apparatus, comprising: an enclosed housing having an inlet port, an exhaust port, and a spiral chamber between the ports for imparting a circular air flow to lint-entrained air moving from the inlet port to the exhaust port;   said spiral chamber having a perimeter side wall;   a screen extending across the exhaust port, for collecting lint from air passing therethrough;   a slot formed in the side wall, for exhausting lint from the housing;   an object having a size greater than the slot, freely movable within the spiral chamber, having a shape and weight such that air flow through the spiral chamber will cause the object to continuously bounce about; and   a lint collector in fluid communication with the slot, for receiving and collecting lint.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the perimeter side wall is generally cylindrical. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a throat formed within the housing for directing air from the inlet port generally tangentially along the spiral chamber side wall. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said lint collector includes a collection box having an inlet aperture fluidly connected to the housing slot, an exhaust port for exhausting air from the box, and a coarse mesh screen between the inlet aperture and the exhaust port, for removing lint from air exhausted through the box exhaust port. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said lint collection box includes an open topped drawer operably mounted within the box for selective removal therefrom. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said drawer is located in a lower portion of the box, and wherein the inlet aperture and box exhaust port are located in an upper portion of the box above the drawer. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a throat formed within the housing for directing air flow from the inlet port generally longitudinally along the spiral chamber side wall. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said lint collector includes a collection box having an inlet aperture fluidly connected to the housing slot, an exhaust port for exhausting air from the box, and a coarse mesh screen between the inlet aperture and the exhaust port, for removing lint form air exhausted through the box exhaust port. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said lint collection box includes an open topped drawer operably mounted within the box for selective removal therefrom. 
     
     
       10. A self-cleaning lint filtration apparatus for a laundry dryer of the type having a dryer drum with an air exhaust line for exhausting lint-entrained air from the drum, and a blower having an inlet connected to the exhaust line and an outlet for creating an air flow through the drum, the exhaust line and out the blower outlet, comprising: an enclosed housing having an inlet port connected to the blower outlet, an exhaust port, and a spiral chamber between the ports for imparting a circular air flow to air moving from the inlet port to the exhaust port;   said spiral chamber having a perimeter side wall;   a screen extending across the exhaust port, for collecting lint form air passing therethrough;   a slot formed in the side wall, for exhausting lint from the housing;   an object having a size greater than the slot, freely movable within the spiral chamber, having a shape and weight such that air flow through the spiral chamber will cause the object to continuously bounce about; and   a lint collector in fluid communication with the slot, for receiving and collecting lint.   
     
     
       11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the perimeter side wall is generally cylindrical. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a throat formed within the housing for directing air flow from the inlet port generally longitudinally along the spiral chamber side wall. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said lint collector includes a collection box having an inlet aperture fluidly connected to the housing slot, an exhaust port for exhausting air form the box, and a coarse mesh screen between the inlet aperture and the exhaust port, for removing lint from air exhausted through the box exhaust port. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said lint collector includes an open topped drawer operably mounted within the box for selective removal therefrom. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said drawer is located in a lower portion of the box, and wherein the inlet aperture and box exhaust port are located in an upper portion of the box above the drawer. 
     
     
       16. In combination: a laundry dryer exhaust line having a blower with an inlet connected to a dryer drum exhaust vent and outlet, the blower creating an air flow from the exhaust vent, through the blower inlet, and out the blower outlet; and   a self-cleaning lint filtration apparatus connected to the blower outlet, said self-cleaning lint filtration apparatus including:   an enclosed housing having an inlet port connected to the blower outlet, an exhaust port, and a spiral chamber between the ports for imparting a circular air flow to air moving from the inlet port to the exhaust port;   said spiral chamber having a perimeter side wall;   a screen extending across the exhaust port, for collecting lint from air passing therethrough;   a slot formed in the side wall, for exhausting lint from the housing;   an object having a size greater than the slot, freely movable within the spiral chamber, having a shape and weight such that air flow through the spiral chamber will cause the object to continuously bounce about; and   a lint collector in fluid communication with the slot, for receiving and collecting lint.   
     
     
       17. The combination of claim 16, wherein the perimeter side wall is generally cylindrical. 
     
     
       18. The combination of claim 16, further comprising a throat formed within the housing for directing air flow from the inlet port generally longitudinally along the spiral chamber side wall. 
     
     
       19. The combination of claim 16, wherein said lint collector includes a collection box having an inlet aperture fluidly connected to the housing slot, an exhaust port for exhausting air form the box, and a coarse mesh screen between the inlet aperture and the exhaust port, for removing lint from air exhausted through the box exhaust port. 
     
     
       20. The combination of claim 19, wherein said lint collection box includes an open topped drawer operably mounted within the box for selective removal therefrom.